Electric switch.



0. HJ THORDARSON.

Patented Aug, 8, 1911.

CHESTER THORDARSON, OF CHliCAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SVIITCH.

l .oeonae.

Specification of Letters E'atent.

Application filed June 27. 1310.

Patented Aug. 35, Serial No. 569.047.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnns'r in "lntnnnne son, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear. and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in electric switch mechanisms adapted to automatically control the fiowol electric current from a circuit to a plurality of electrical devices in the circuit and which are adapted to be separately connected in said circuit.

The form of switch herein shown has been adapted more particularly for use in a storage battery power equipment for automatically switching the charged batteries from the charging circuit to the load circuit and simultaneously switching the partially discharged batteries from the load to the charging circuit. so that the latter batteries may be charged' while current is supplied to the load circuit by the battery pre viously charged. Such an apparatus is shown in my co-pending application for "United States Letters Patent, Serial Number-569,046 tiled of even date herewith. The

switch may, however be employed for other uses.

As shown in the drawings. Figure 1 is .a side elevation partially broken away. of a switch mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2-is a vertical section thereoi, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 1s a top plan view,

' partially broken away. Fig. 4. is a sectional detail of one of the reversible switch arm acthating plungers. Fig. 5 illustrates in full and dotted lines the manner 01" throwing over the reversible switch arm. Fig. 6 is a detail section on line 6-6 of Fig. 2, looking upwardly. Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line t'7 of 2, looking upwardly. The cast iron supporting base 10 of the switch mechanism is provided with upper and lower pole pieces 11, 12, respectively.

14:. 15 designate coils arranged side by side between the pole pieces and mounted on brass tubes 16, 16 which extend upwardly through openings in the lower pole piece 12. The upper pole piece 11 is provided with I pole extensions 17 which extend downwardly into the upper ends of the hollow coils and a distance in said tubes in. The said coils are wound on brass tubes l8, l8 which fit closely over the tubes 16.

2O. 21 designate plunger cores which are contained in said tubes 1(3. the latter being closed at their lower ends by plugs The said cores are made of soft iron and are provided at their upper ends with reduced extensions 24- which extend upwardly int'o axial openings 25 in the pole extensions 17. The said extensions are adapted to alternately engage a pivoted switch arm 26 when the coils are alternately energized to raise the plungcrs so as to swing said switch arm from one side to the other about its horizoutul pivot pin 27. Said pivot pin It is mounted in an extension of the upper pole piece.

The coils ll, 15 are adapted to be alternately energized by suitable connection in an electric circuit or circuits. and as each coil is separately energized. its plunger is drawn upwardly so as to raise its extension into contact with thc reversible switch arm 26 and throw said arm from one side to the other; the arm being thus thrown or swung alternately from one side to the othe as the coils are alternately energized.

Anangtd at the opposite sides of the nmgnet frame. and insulated therefrom and from each other, are two sets of spring switch terminals. there being four terminals in each set. The terminalsof one set, or those at the left hand side of the switch are designated by 30, 3], 32 and 33. The terminals of the other set are designated by 35, 36, 37 and The said terminals are provided at. their upper ends with contact points v through whi the circuits are closed from terminal to rerunnal. The terminals 32, 33 of one set, as well as the terminals 37, 38 of the other set. are or 'anged one in "front- 01" the other and the central terminal of each set is suiiicicritly minals so to simultaneously close circuits through each central terminal and its adjacent sepa 'ated terminals. 7

The central terminals 30, or" the sets are extended above the'other terminals in line with the switch arm 26 and are provided with contact pieces 38, 38 adapted for contact by. the rollers 39, 39 (carried by the outer ends of the switch arm 26. Said cenbroad to bridge the adjacent separated tel--- .tral terminals constitute master terminals and when unrestrained tend to spring inwardly with their points in contact with the points of the inner springs 01" the sets. shown at the right hand side of Figs. and 3. The engagement of the bearing roller 39 at either end of the switch arm 26 with the contact piece 38 of the adjacent master terminal forces said terminal outwardly with its contact pieces engaged with the contact pieces of the outer terminals, this being the position of the terminal as shown at the left hand side of Figs. 2 and At this time the contact point of the other central or master terminal 35 is engaged with the contact point of the inner terminal 36. The upper ends of the contact pieces of the master terminals are inclined outwardly so as to afford an easy movement of the rollers thereon when the ends of the switch arm are depressed to force the terminals outwardly. Below said outwardly inclined upper ends of the contact pieces, they are reversely inclined to furnish oblique shoulders to engage over the rollers 89 to lock the switch arm into either of the positions into which it is thrown.

lVhen either of the coils 14 or 15 is energized, it draws its plunger core 20 or- 21 upwardly, and the extension 24 of the plunger strikes the pivoted switch arm 26 and throws it over to reverse its position, disengaging one of the central or master terminals and engaging the other so as to reverse the positions of the switch. Instead of engaging the switch direct, the plunger extensions preferably engage spring buffers 41 termed by the ends of a flat or leaf spring that. is attached centrally to the arm. Thus the blow or impact of the plunger is cushioned with the result 01' prolonging the life of the arm.

In order to prevent one of the plungers rising suiliciently to engage the swinging switch arm at a time when the other plunger is in its upper position. should both coils be simultaneously energized, I may provide the sliding stop plate 12 that is arranged with its ends adapted to extend over the axial openingsin the pole extensions 17 and is beveled at its ends so that when engaged by the upper endof one of the plunger extensions. it is thrown endwise into the path of the other plunger extensions. and vice versa.

The said stop plate is guided in its endwise movement by screws 4-3 which extend down through slots in the plate and into the pole piece 11. The plunger extensions, which will usually bemade of brass. are shown as provided with hard metal tips 44. attached thereto in the manner shown in Fig. Said extensions are shown being screw-threaded at their lower ends to engage axial screwthreaded soclzetslin the upper ends ot the plunger bodies whereby the parts are attached together. in order to enlarge the faces of the plunger-s and pole extensions and to increase the tractivc force to raise the plungers. and also to decrease the air gap between the plungcrs and pole pieces relatively to the iixed extent of movement thereof, the upper ends oil? the plungers are made convcxly conical and the lower ends of the pole extensions are termed with corre sponding reccv s to receive the .conical plungers. I may provide the faces oi the plungcrs with shields 4-5. made of brass. or like material. to prevent ti o plungers sticking in their upper or raised positions.

storage battery charging and power equip ment. such as is disclosed in my aforesaid application. the central or master terminal at one side oi the switch. as. for instance. the terminal 30. may be connected to the positive side of the charging circuit and the ad.- -jacent inner and outer terminals 3 32 connected with the positive sides of the storage batteries. The central or master terminal 35 at the other side of the switch may be connected to the positive side of the load circuit and the adjacent inner and outer terminals 37 connected with the positive sides of the batteries.

When the parts are so connected and an ranged. one of the batteries will be connected in the charging circuit through one of the terminals 31 or at the left hand side of the switclr'and the other battery will be connected to the positive side of the load circuit through one of the terminals 36 or 87 at the right hand side of the switch. iVhen the switch arm 26 is thrown over to its other position. the hat tery theretotorc in the charging circuit will be connected to the positive side of the load circuit through one of the terminals 36 or 37 at the right hand side of the switch. and the battery theretottore in the load circuit will be connected to the charging circuit: through one oi"? the ter minals 31 or The terminals and 38 at the outer sides of the sets of terminals are tor the purpose of controlling the divided circuit in which the coils 14 and 15 are included. each of said latter terminals being onnected to its adjacent coil 14 or 15 and the coils being connected by a common return wire to the negative side of the charging circuit,-said return wire having a circuit closing device 46. corresponding to the meter controlled relay shown in my aforesaid application. ll hcn the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and the circuit closing device is closed. a circuit is closed through terminals 30. 32, 33 and coil 14 to actuate the plunger 20 to throw the switch arm over to its reverse position and .shitt the batteries in the charging and load circuits. il hcn the i switch is again to be reversed the switch con ln the use of the switch mechanism in a.

o. in

adapted to act on said arm to swing it first adapted to be alternately ei'iergized, gers reciprocable in said coils, a switch arm trolling circuit will be closed at 4H5 through terminals 37 38 andcoil 15 to actuate the plunger.

lVhile the switch mechanism has been shown as adaptedto and has been described for the storage battery power charging equioinent disclosed in my atoresaid application, it is to be understood i he essential features of the constructhe o eration of electrical devices in l The invention is not details herein illustrated except in claims where suchdetails are specifically set forth. l

i claim my invention 1. An electric switch comprising electromagnetic coils adapted to be alternately energized, "a switch arm pivoted between its ends, means -responsiye to said coils l i i l i l l l in one direction and then in the other, and two sets of circuit closing terminals each emli acing a master t-ern'iinal. and other terminals adapted to be alternately connected to the master terminal, the master terminals of the two sets being alternately acted upon by said switch arm.

2.. An electric switchcomprising two coils adapted to be alternately energized, plungcrs reciprocable in said coils, a switch arm pivoted intermediate'its ends at a point between the coils and unattached to the plungers, and adapted by impact of the plungers to be swung on its pivot, and two sets of circuit closing terminals arranged one at one end and the other at the other end of said arm, each embracing a master terminal adapted to be engaged by the adjacent end of said arm.

3. An electric switch comprising two coils plunpivoted intermediate its ends at a point between the coils, one end of which is engaged by one plunger and the other end by the other plunger to swing said arm on its pivot, and two sets of circuit closing terminals arranged at the ends of said arm, each comprising a master terminal adapted to be engaged by the adjacent end of said arm and other terminals adapted for alternate contact with the master terminal, the ends oi. said master terminals being shaped to auto matically lock the switch arm in positions into which it is swung by said plunge-rs. l. An electric switch comprising two elcc ere-magnetic coils adapted to be altervuuely energized, two sets of circuit closing spring terminals each embracing a central or master terminal and two side terminals adapted rooted in outer working circuits.

nninal of each set being adapted i l l nately connected to the side ter- 1 u that set, means responsive to said i magnets for alternately actuating the central or master terminals, and anotherterminal in each set adapted for contact with its central or master terminal and through which other terminal the circuits to energize the magnets are adapted to be alternately closed.

An electric switch comprising an iron tran'ic haying pole pieces. two coils between said pole pieces and adapted to be alternately energized, plungcrs rcciprocablc within said coils and having reduced ends, one oi the pole pieces being provided with hollow pole extensions which extend into the adjacent ends of the coils and through which the reduced ends of the plunger-s extend, a pivoted switch arm alternately acted upon by said plungcrs and switch closing devices controlled by said switch arm.

(3. An electric switch comprising an iron frame having pole pieces, two upright coils between said pole pieces and adapted to be alternately energized, tubes extending upwardly through one of the pole pieces and into said coils, and having plunger supports at their lower ends, plungcrs in said tubes and coils and rcciprocable under the influence of the coils and normally resting on said supports, a pivoted switch arm an ranged to be acted upon alternately by said plunger-s and circuit closing means controlled by said swit'h arm.

7. in electric switch comprising an iron frame having pole pieces, two coils between said pole pieces and adapted to be alternately energized, tubes extending through one of the pole pieces and into said coils, plunger-s in said tubes and coils and reciprocable under the influence of the coils, the other pole piece being provided with hollow polo extensions which extend intothe adjacent ends of said coils and through which the ends of the plungcrs extend, a pivoted switch arm arranged to be acted upon alternately by the latter ends of said plunger-s and circuit elosingincans controlled by said switch arm.

8. An electric switch comprising two coils adapted to be alternately energized, plunrccipro able in said coils, a switch arm pivoted between its ends and acted upon alternately by said plungers, circuit closing incans controlled by said switch arm, and means controlled by each 'ilungcr for pre venting the operation of one 'ilunger when the other plunger is in position to operate said switch arm.

9. An 'eleclric switch comprising an iron l'rai'ne luiving upper and lower pole pieces, two coils between said pole pieces and adapted to be alternately energized, a switch arm pivoted letwcen its ends above said coils, plungers reciprwahlo in said coils and adapted to alternately strike the said switch arm. to reverse the same, stop plate adapted at each end to engagement by one. of the hollow pole extensions which extend into which the reduced ends of the plungers tend, :1 pivoted switch arm alternately acted upon by said plungers and switch closing devices controlled by said switch arm, said reduced ends of the plnngers being provided with hardened tips.

- 11..An electric switch comprising two l l l l the adjacent ends of the coils and through l l coils "adapted to be alternately ener jplungers reciproceble in said coils, switch 111'111 unattached to the plungers and pivoted between its ends between said plungers and adapted to be alternately struck by said plungers to swing it in opposite directions on its pivot, circuit closing means controlled by said switch arm, and buffers carried by the switch arm one at each side of the pivot of said :lllll for contact by said plurgers.

ln testimony, that l claiin' the foregoing as my invention I ziliix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 2nd day of June A. D. 1910.

' CHESTER H; THORDARE? )N Witnesses 2 lV. L. HALL, lVILLIAit Goriinsnnone. 

